G/TBT/N/EU/833  
18 August 2021  
(21-6278) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6  
 
1. Notifying Member:  EUROPEAN UNION   
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):   
2. Agency responsible:  European Commission  
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers , email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:   
European Comm ission,  
EU-TBT Enquiry Point,  
Fax: +(32) 2 299 80 43,  
E-mail: grow-eu-tbt@ec.europa.eu  
Website: http://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools -databases/tbt/en/   
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [X], 5.7.1 [   ], other :  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  Organic 
products; Food products in general (ICS 67.040)  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Draft 
Commission Delegat ed Regulation amending Annexes II and III to Regulation (EU) 
2018/848 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards specific requirements 
for the production, use and packaging of non -organic, in -conversion and organic seedlings 
(5 page(s), in En glish; 2 page(s), in English)  
6. Description of content:  Delegated Regulation amending Regulation (EU) 2018/848 for 
specific requirements for production, use and marketing of organic, in -conversion and 
non-organic seedlings as plant reproductive material under Annex II and III to Regulation 
(EU) 2018/848.  Such provisions can affect also organic operators in third countries.    
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable:  Following the adoption of the organic Regulat ion (EU) 2018/848 and its 
amending Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/1794, as regards the use of in -
conversion and non -organic plant reproductive material, which will both enter into full 
application on 1 January 2022, it is necessary to introduce further provisions to clarify 
and limit possible derogation from obligation to use organic seedlings. Seedlings are a 
particular type of plant reproductive material, originated from seeds and not covered by 
the databases and systems of information on avail ability of plant reproductive material 
set under Article 26 of Regulation (EU) 2018/848. However, seedlings are frequently used 
in particular in horticulture and in crops with short productive cycle. Hence, to ensure 
integrity of organic productions, the p roposal introduces specific provisions for seedlings 
defining the conditions for their marketing as in -conversion plant reproductive material 
and for derogation of use of organic seedlings in case of crops harvested in one growing 
season. The act introduce s specific requirements so that the whole life cycle in case of 
crops harvested in one growing season, from untreated seed to transplant of seedling to G/TBT/N/EU/833  
 
- 2 - 
 
  final product shall have to be carried out under organic production conditions. Finally, the 
act also in troduces specific conditions with respect to the provisions concerning marketing 
of in-conversion seedlings, in compliance with provisions of Article 10(4)(a) of the 
Regulation (EU) 2018/848.  
8. Relevant documents:   
Regulation (EU) 2018/848 of the European Parliament and of the Council on organic 
production and labelling of organic products and repealing Council Regulation (EC) 
834/2007  
https://eur -lex.europa.eu/legal -
content/EN/TXT/?qid=1554367642614&uri=CELEX:02018R0848 -20180614  
9. Proposed date of adoption:  October 2021  
Proposed date of entry into force:  On the third day following that of its publication in 
the Official Journal of the European Union (estimation: October 2021)  
10. Final date for comments:  60 days from notification  
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [ ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available , of other body:   
European Commission,  
EU-TBT Enquiry Point,  
Fax: + (32) 2 299 80 43,  
E-mail: grow-eu-tbt@ec.europa.eu  
 
The text is available on the EU -TBT Website : http://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools -
databases/tbt/en/  
 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2021/TBT/EEC/21_5258_00_e.pdf  
https://members.wto .org/crnattachments/2021/TBT/EEC/21_5258_01_e.pdf